Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON/BRUSSELS, April 12 (Reuters) - Remember when plug-in hybrid cars were the go-to technology for the climate-conscious driver? Turns out, they’re not good for the environment, according to some experts, and they could be phased out by carmakers in the face of tougher European rules.EU policy plans for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), which contain an electric battery and a combustion engine, could mean the "transition" technology has a shorter lifespan than envisaged by some leading automakers.Draft green finance regulations would...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON/BRUSSELS, April 12 (Reuters) - Remember when plug-in hybrid cars were the go-to technology for the climate-conscious driver? Turns out, they’re not good for the environment, according to some experts, and they could be phased out by carmakers in the face of tougher European rules.EU policy plans for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), which contain an electric battery and a combustion engine, could mean the "transition" technology has a shorter lifespan than envisaged by some leading automakers.Draft green finance regulations would...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Volvo’s entire car lineup will be fully electric by 2030, the Chinese-owned company said on Tuesday, joining a growing number of automakers planning to phase out fossil-fuel engines by the end of this decade.“I am totally convinced there will be no customers who really want to stay with a petrol engine,” Volvo Chief Executive Håkan Samuelsson told reporters when asked about future demand for electric vehicles. “We are convinced that an electric car is more attractive for customers.”The Swedish-based carmaker said 50% of its global sales should be fully-electric cars...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Volvo’s entire car lineup will be fully electric by 2030, the Chinese-owned company said on Tuesday, joining a growing number of automakers planning to phase out fossil-fuel engines by the end of this decade.“I am totally convinced there will be no customers who really want to stay with a petrol engine,” Volvo Chief Executive Håkan Samuelsson told reporters when asked about future demand for electric vehicles. “We are convinced that an electric car is more attractive for customers.”The Swedish-based carmaker said 50% of its global sales should be fully-electric cars...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Volvo’s entire car lineup will be fully electric by 2030, the Chinese-owned company said on Tuesday, joining a growing number of automakers planning to phase out fossil-fuel engines by the end of this decade.“I am totally convinced there will be no customers who really want to stay with a petrol engine,” Volvo Chief Executive Håkan Samuelsson told reporters when asked about future demand for electric vehicles. “We are convinced that an electric car is more attractive for customers.”The Swedish-based carmaker said 50% of its global sales should be fully-electric cars...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Volvo’s entire car lineup will be fully electric by 2030, the Chinese-owned company said on Tuesday, joining a growing number of automakers planning to phase out fossil-fuel engines by the end of this decade.“I am totally convinced there will be no customers who really want to stay with a petrol engine,” Volvo Chief Executive Håkan Samuelsson told reporters when asked about future demand for electric vehicles. “We are convinced that an electric car is more attractive for customers.”The Swedish-based carmaker said 50% of its global sales should be fully-electric cars...WW…

By (Reuters) - Daimler AG unit Torc Robotics said on Wednesday it has selected Amazon’s cloud computing division to handle huge amounts of data in real time as it prepares to test self-driving test trucks in New Mexico and Virginia.Slideshow Acquired by Daimler in 2019, Torc is developing level 4 autonomous technology - where the vehicle operates itself under specific operating conditions - which Daimler Trucks believes will fundamentally change the trucking and logistics business.“The problem we’re trying to solve is the most difficult technical problem of our generation,” Torc Chief...…By (Reuters) - Daimler AG unit Torc Robotics said on Wednesday it has selected Amazon’s cloud computing division to handle huge amounts of data in real time as it prepares to test self-driving test trucks in New Mexico and Virginia.Slideshow Acquired by Daimler in 2019, Torc is developing level 4 autonomous technology - where the vehicle operates itself under specific operating conditions - which Daimler Trucks believes will fundamentally change the trucking and logistics business.“The problem we’re trying to solve is the most difficult technical problem of our generation,” Torc Chief...WW…

By LONDON (Reuters) - British government plans that could allow self-driving cars on motorways as soon as 2021 would put lives at risk because the available automated technology falls well short of human driving capabilities, UK insurance group Thatcham Research said on Friday.“We don’t believe that this technology adequately addresses what consumers will do and how they’ll use it,” said Thatcham’s research director Matthew Avery.The UK government is due to close a consultation on Oct. 27 that could lead to some form of automated driving on British motorways. That could include the use of...…By LONDON (Reuters) - British government plans that could allow self-driving cars on motorways as soon as 2021 would put lives at risk because the available automated technology falls well short of human driving capabilities, UK insurance group Thatcham Research said on Friday.“We don’t believe that this technology adequately addresses what consumers will do and how they’ll use it,” said Thatcham’s research director Matthew Avery.The UK government is due to close a consultation on Oct. 27 that could lead to some form of automated driving on British motorways. That could include the use of...WW…

By (Reuters) - Delivery fleet operators face regulatory pressure in California and other states to buy electric vehicles, but a surge in package deliveries thanks to coronavirus lockdowns has major firms itching to switch to electric right now.And they want far more than just battery-powered versions of diesel- or gas-guzzling trucks and vans.Fleet operators such as United Parcel Service Inc hunger for computers on wheels that can harvest data and upgrade safety or autonomous features overnight to save money and boost profit.“For us, it’s not just about making the wheels turn with a...…By (Reuters) - Delivery fleet operators face regulatory pressure in California and other states to buy electric vehicles, but a surge in package deliveries thanks to coronavirus lockdowns has major firms itching to switch to electric right now.And they want far more than just battery-powered versions of diesel- or gas-guzzling trucks and vans.Fleet operators such as United Parcel Service Inc hunger for computers on wheels that can harvest data and upgrade safety or autonomous features overnight to save money and boost profit.“For us, it’s not just about making the wheels turn with a...WW…

By (This August 3 story corrects name of Vroom CEO in paragraph 12 to Hennessy)DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - After years of being part of a future that never quite arrived, the coronavirus pandemic has put U.S. online car sellers on the map.Now comes a race to spend vast sums on digital commerce platforms specifically designed to handle auto sales. Without deep pockets, many startups and others trying to join the online game will likely be left in the dust.“The pay to play on this thing is in the hundreds of millions and the early journey is hard, especially building out the technology,”...…By (This August 3 story corrects name of Vroom CEO in paragraph 12 to Hennessy)DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - After years of being part of a future that never quite arrived, the coronavirus pandemic has put U.S. online car sellers on the map.Now comes a race to spend vast sums on digital commerce platforms specifically designed to handle auto sales. Without deep pockets, many startups and others trying to join the online game will likely be left in the dust.“The pay to play on this thing is in the hundreds of millions and the early journey is hard, especially building out the technology,”...WW…

By (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) on Monday asked a U.S. federal judge to dismiss a request from General Motors Co to reinstate a racketeering lawsuit against its smaller rival, comparing a recent GM filing to a “third-rate spy movie, full of preposterous allegations.”Last week, No. 1 U.S. automaker GM asked U.S. District Judge Paul Borman to reopen the case, claiming it had new information on foreign accounts used in an alleged bribery scheme involving FCA and leaders of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.When it first filed its lawsuit last year, GM alleged that FCA...…By (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) on Monday asked a U.S. federal judge to dismiss a request from General Motors Co to reinstate a racketeering lawsuit against its smaller rival, comparing a recent GM filing to a “third-rate spy movie, full of preposterous allegations.”Last week, No. 1 U.S. automaker GM asked U.S. District Judge Paul Borman to reopen the case, claiming it had new information on foreign accounts used in an alleged bribery scheme involving FCA and leaders of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.When it first filed its lawsuit last year, GM alleged that FCA...WW…

By , The news sent Ford’s shares down more than 5% in morning trading.Only Ford’s joint ventures in China, where the COVID-19 pandemic has been receding, are currently producing vehicles. The automaker said it is working on a scenario for a phased restart of its manufacturing plants beginning in the second quarter.“However, we believe we have sufficient cash today to get us through at least the end of the third quarter with no incremental vehicle production and wholesales or financing actions,” Chief Financial Officer Tim Stone said in a statement.Asked whether Ford would apply for loans...…By , The news sent Ford’s shares down more than 5% in morning trading.Only Ford’s joint ventures in China, where the COVID-19 pandemic has been receding, are currently producing vehicles. The automaker said it is working on a scenario for a phased restart of its manufacturing plants beginning in the second quarter.“However, we believe we have sufficient cash today to get us through at least the end of the third quarter with no incremental vehicle production and wholesales or financing actions,” Chief Financial Officer Tim Stone said in a statement.Asked whether Ford would apply for loans...WW…

By (Reuters) - Texas auto dealer Hayden Elder says March was his worst month in 42 years selling cars thanks to the coronavirus, but April brought days that were “almost normal” and he expects bigger customer discounts to help him sell more Dodge Ram pickup trucks this month.The virus outbreak and resulting stay-at-home orders have clobbered the U.S. vehicle market.“I think that will open the door for a ton of orders for the factory,” said Elder, who owns two Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealerships in a rural eastern region of the populous state. His businesses have remained open as they are...…By (Reuters) - Texas auto dealer Hayden Elder says March was his worst month in 42 years selling cars thanks to the coronavirus, but April brought days that were “almost normal” and he expects bigger customer discounts to help him sell more Dodge Ram pickup trucks this month.The virus outbreak and resulting stay-at-home orders have clobbered the U.S. vehicle market.“I think that will open the door for a ton of orders for the factory,” said Elder, who owns two Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealerships in a rural eastern region of the populous state. His businesses have remained open as they are...WW…